Why is it called "Carnival Sunshine?"
 

I was asked this while I was onboard the Norwegian Epic last week - "Why did Carnival decide to rename Destiny "Carnival Sunshine?"

And then it hit me - Project Sunshine by Royal Caribbean - that is the name for the new class they are now creating (most likely to be re-named later on).

Are we back to Carnival copying RCL again, It got ridiculous with Liberty, Freedom, Legend, Splendor....

And to be clear, in some cases Carnival came first and Royal Caribbean followed.

But still, WHY?

I know that the Carnival brass in Miami never liked the Destiny name. Don't know how they came up with Sunshine though.

Where did you hear they didn't like "Destiny" - I always thought it was one of the best names and best ships.

Just curious.

It sure beats copying RCL for names like "Freedom and Liberty" which they did.

I just read this article recently that mentioned the name change:
Carnival will redo Destiny, stern to name - Travel Weekly

Could just be a PR spin, but this is the reasoning quoted:

When it comes to naming ships, it seems the cruise lines have the worst imagination in the world.

Without even much thought

Carnival Fantasy/ Disney Fantasy
Carnival Magic/ Disney Magic
RCI Legend/ Carnival Legend/ Seabourn Legend
Carnival Spirit/ Seabourn Spirit/ Silver Spirit/ Norwegian Spirit
Star Princess/ Nowegian Star
Carnival Dream/ Norwegian Dream (just popped into my head after hitting post:) )
Sure there's many more....

And then of course there's also the reusing of names of past ships in fleets.

Celebrity went to naming their ships after cars. Are you kidding me!

Think the missing imaginations led to RCI and NCL holding contests to name ships :)

Project Sunshine, Project Breakaway????? UGH

With all the great things they've figured out how to put on ships, you'd think they'd figure out how to come up with a name!

So true! I never understand the reusing of names. Princess just reused Royal. You would think with a new build and a "state of the art" ship and all these designers they have, someone could come up with a decent name.

Hey, it is better than "Carnival Hurricane: :-)

I have a friend in Miami HQ, I guess JH would call him a beard. He told me that they never liked the name, I believe it was a contest winner, and that everyone at Carnival HQ referred to her as the 'death star' and not the Destiny.

I thought from the get go, it was a stab at RCI's, Project Sunshine...the copycat names in recent years is the thing I dislike most...or like having another bogus naming contest...gimme a break.

Someday a cruise line's marketing department will hire some kid fresh out of college and an "original" idea and name will happen. When and if that happens is a mystery. Until then they'll just keep coming up with boring names and copying other ships and cruise lines.

Then again: They may have renamed Destiny so that when you are walking on the deck you can sing the old Katrina and the Waves song: "I'm Walking on Sunshine" ;):) OK: I couldn't resist but I wouldn't be surprised if they use it as a promo.

Here's the "earworm"


Katrina and the Waves - Walking On Sunshine - YouTube

Take care,
Mike

No - Celebrity named their ships after wrist watches, too:
Silhouette, Reflection, -

Also - your forgot these:

Norwegian Dawn - Dawn Princess
Norwegian Sky - Sky Princess
Norwegian Sea - Sea Princess
Norwegian Star - Star Princess
Norwegian Sun - Sun Princess

Seven Seas Mariner - Mariner of the Seas
Seven Seas Voyager - Voyager of the Seas
Seven Seas Navigator - Navigator of the Seas

There is a list of names here, there are many more:

List of cruise ships - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Just for fun - lets come up with our favorite ships names, and seriously, I would have to put Destiny on my list. Basically, I think a ship should evoke a feeling of having transcended the ordinary, and empowerment along with free will.

Destiny
Odyssey
Spirit
Journey
Breeze
Glory
Grandeur
Insignia
Mariner

Its true ! What is the speed of darkness? About 18 knots ! Hope "the beard" doesn't read us !

Thanks Mike ! It worked ! Rats!

Yes, If I recall they had a contest to name the ship. As we all know was going to be the largest cruise ship ever at the time. So the Destiny was a fitting name at the time.

Destiny was indeed nicknamed the "death star" EARLY ON.....(as stated in an earlier post)

I could tell you why...but then I would have to ..... go into the witness protection program...lol

Thanks for sharing.http://www.castoffdebt.com

to funny!!! ROFLMAO!!!

Sunshine sure sounds retro to me.

I think they were going to call it something else but too many people might have associated it with Costa Condordia.

As for the similarity between ship names and brands?

Which comes first when sorted alphabetically? Carnival, Royal, NCL, Disney? For a particular ship name, Carnival will usually come up first. :cool:

"Carnival Sunshine" seems odd to me. Destiny was always one of the better brandable name i guess.
Lisa Can :)

WHo cares, why NOT

"Why NOT?" - hmmm isn't that an old Royal Caribbean catch phrase?

My Theory about Destiny class names
 

Paul, my theory is this: there was no real contest because they already had the three names for their forthcoming ships (Destiny 1996), (Triumph 1999) & (Victory 2000). This "contest" was only to gather email, address, etc. for future mailings. The ship names came from someone within Carnival who loves the music group "The Jacksons". Here's why: three of their albums were Destiny 1978, Triumph 1980 & Victory 1984. Same order of release. Coincidence?

DJ Bob
former Carnival DJ 1986-1996
1986-1990 Tropicale (from LA & San Juan)
1991-1992 Jubilee (from LA)
1993-1994 Carnivale & Mardi Gras (from Port Canaveral)
1994-1996 Festivale (from San Juan)

Very Interesting DJ Bob.

BTW--Welcome to CruiseMates!

I am just waiting to hear about all the confusion in Galveston this fall when the Disney Magic comes to town with the Carnival Magic. I can just see people showing up to their cruises for the Magic on the wrong day. Some will be early and others will have missed the ship.

I also loved the name Destiny and not so much Sunshine at first. But I will be on the Sunshine TA and first cruise out of NO. I have cruised the Destiny and am looking forward to seeing the changes.

When I first heard of the name change I thought it a bit odd that they would do that. Then in the back of my weak and feeble mind I pondered that the 2.0 upgrade was destined to shed new light on ship amenities liken to a beam of Sunshine! Thus creating new excitement from a new design. or not.
As far as the current two ship names, the Breeze and the Sunshine, are they leaning toward earth elements ? Next might be the Wind or the Dirt. At least they didn't name it after a person, can you imagine booking a cruise on The Carnival Sandusky ? :shock:

Then it would have made better sense to call it the Carnival Sunrise.

Actually this has already happened.....on the Carnival Magic last year when it was in Europe....

a lady THOUGHT she had book the Disney Magic ( at a Carnival price, what was she smoking) ....

She was shocked when she arrived to find it was the Carnival Magic....(after she asked where all the characters were)... then she was LIVID that she had been "deceived"....

she actually left the ship on Embarkation day....used her travel insurance.


I would have loved to have read THAT claim.... lol